You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. – Matthew 7:5
One of my goals in life is exactly the same as yours. I don’t want to be a hypocrite. Every day I want to shorten the distance between that which I process and that which I actually live. I want no gaps between my “talk” and my “walk.”
It’s why I’d like to repeat every day for the next month, this “Test for Self-Evaluation,” proposed by John Wesley. The questions reflect that heart of Scripture, so every morning we should ask ourselves:
Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I’m a better person than I really am? Do I laugh at the mistakes of others, reveling in their errors and misfortunes? Do I insist on having my own way? Is there a tendency for me to put others down so that I’ll be thought of more highly? Do I pass on to others what is told to me in confidence? Am I thoughtful in expressing ‘thanks’ to people for what they’ve done for me, no matter how insignificant it seems? Am I a slave to dress, a slave to friends and their opinions, a slave to work or habits? Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying? Did the Bible live in me yesterday? Did I disobey God in anything yesterday? Did I insist on doing something about which my conscious was uneasy? Did I handle discouragement well or did I have to be coddled? Am I enjoying prayer? When did I last speak to someone about Christ? Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize or hold resentment toward? If so, what am I doing about it?
Is Christ real to me?
Copy this page, tuck it in your daily journey, and refer to John Wesley’s questions often. Purpose to shorten the gap between what you say and what you live.
Lord Jesus, I don’t want to be a hypocrite. I pray that what I say about my walk with you matches the way I live.
Taken from Pearls of Great Price: 365 Daily Devotional Readings by Joni Eareckson Tada. Copyright © 2006 by Zondervan. Use by permission of Zondervan.
Learn more about Joni Eareckson Tada at www.joniandfriends.org.
